Suzuki has pulled the plug off the Hayabusa nearly
20 years after introducing the hyperbike. However, it isn’t the end of the road
for the iconic motorcycle. The Japanese two-wheeler brand is working on a third
generation model that will arrive by the year 2022. The next-gen Hayabusa will
be aimed to win back the title of fastest accelerating production motorcycle
from the Kawasaki ZX-14R. The new model will receive a bigger engine to compete
against the Kawasaki’s 1,441cc motor.
Needless to say, the
new model will comply with the Euro 5 emission norms. Reports suggest that the
next-generation Suzuki Hayabusa will feature a turbocharged motor, updated
electronic rider aids and entirely new cosmetics.
The glimpse of the new Hayabusa’s design was
showcased via the Concept GSX back in 2015. Now, Japanese magazine Young
Machine has created a rendering of the future version of the hyperbike that is
based on the concept motorcycle. The magazine has also released photographs of the
leaked patents of the new model that, as reported, gets weight-saving measures
to enhance the power-to-weight ratio.
The rendered motorcycle features sharper styling,
along with an updated (still single-pod) headlight. Apart from the revised
bodywork, it features a new exhaust design that looks compact and lightweight
than the units seen on the outgoing model.
Regular readers would know that Suzuki has stopped
the production of the second generation Hayabusa in Japan. The motorcycle never
received the Euro-IV upgrade and other rules introduced as part of EU
Regulation 168/2013. Manufacturers were given a grace period of two years to
sell the remaining units. The grace period ended on December 31, 2018. The
motorcycle, however, will be available for one more year in the US.
The exact timeline is still not available but, as
mentioned above, the new motorcycle could arrive by 2022. We hope to hear some
details or a concept at one of the many motoring events in 2019.
